Cape Coral has issued an emergency ruling telling residents they can only water their lawns once a week.

The new watering schedule won't go into effect until next Friday, but the extremely dry conditions have also prompted an immediate ban on burning.

City leaders say the freshwater canals are so critically low that they fear fire hydrants, which are connected to the irrigation system, may lose pressure, meaning crews won't even be able to fight fires.

"This is unprecedented for Cape Coral; we have never gone to a mandatory one-day watering schedule," said Connie Barron, city spokesperson.

Starting next Friday, the city will move to a mandatory one-day a week watering schedule for residents and businesses.

Residents who think the current two-day schedule is already taking a toll on their lawns are worried about what will happen next.

"The lawns definitely need some water," said Isabel Sanos.

But the city says it's a matter of public safety.

"We cannot take the chance that anyone, anyone in Cape Coral that is served by the fire department and is served by these fire hydrants would ever be injured or that their safety would be put in jeopardy," Barron said.

"That's kind of scary," Santos said.

The city has seen 39 brush fires this year. The fire department said they've already asked the water department to boost water pressure.

"There are times that they have to raise pressure for us because the volume is low," said Division Chief Mike Russell.

The city has also issued a burn ban, effective immediately. That means burning permits won't be approved and no open burning will be allowed except for barbecuing.

"It's definitely too dry," Santos said.

Residents say their dry lawns could make the fire situation even worse.

"It's almost like a double-edged sword. We need water to fight any fires which is limited this time of year, and all the dry area can create more fires," Russell said.

The city is working on getting water from a reservoir in Charlotte County to ease the shortage until the rainy season.

Fines will still be issued for those who don't heed the watering schedule.

Here is the mandatory one-day watering schedule effective for all Cape Coral residents and businesses beginning Friday, April 21: